Special Coverage

Charley Tango heads Drexler five

EmailWINNIPEG, Manitoba - Trainer Martin Drexler will send out five of the 11 runners in Sunday's 1 1/8-mile Gold Breeders' Cup, the closing-day feature here at Assiniboia Downs. Sunday's card also includes the $45,000 Winnipeg Futurity, a one-mile race for 2-year-olds.

The Gold Breeders' Cup carries a base purse of $45,000 with an additional $25,000 available to Breeders' Cup-eligible horses. Illusive Force is the only entrant who is not Breeders' Cup eligible.

The Drexler five - each running as a separate betting interest - are Charley Tango, Coast Line, Great Discovery, His Majestys Honor, and Local Legend. All of them except His Majestys Honor are owned by Stuart Hyman's Shyman Farm.

Charley Tango was claimed for $40,000 at Arlington Park from his latest race. A 4-year-old son of Maria's Mon, Charley Tango makes only his second start on dirt in 2007. Alan Cuthbertson, who rode three of the other four Drexler entrants in their last start, will ride Charley Tango.

Coast Line finished fifth as the favorite in the R. J. Speers last time out. Before that, Coast Line was third in the Wheat City Stakes in his first local start.

His Majestys Honor and Local Legend both ride win streaks going in the Gold Breeders' Cup. His Majestys Honor has won three in row, all around two turns, with the most recent in second-level allowance company. Local Legend has won both his starts here and should like the added distance.

Great Discovery has been off since finishing third in the Manitoba Derby in his only local start.

Tejano Trouble and Car Keys figure to pose the biggest threat to the Drexler five.

Stakes-placed Tejano Trouble ships in from Alberta having won 1 of 6 starts this year. He is trained by Lianne Knechtel. Ricky Walcott will ride.

Cars Keys, a four-time winner this year, won the R.J. Speers Stakes in his most recent. He is trained by Gary Danelson.

In the Winnipeg Futurity, Mikayla's Baby will be looking to run his unbeaten streak to four.

Trained by Aaron Sayler, Mikayla's Baby has won his last three starts by a combined margin of 21 1/2 lengths. His most impressive victory was his latest, his first attempt around two turns. It came in the prep for the Winnipeg Futurity, which he won by 11 1/4 lengths.

Cuthbertson, who rode Mikayla's Baby for the first time in his most recent start, retains the mount.

Air Pegasus, From the Hill, Lunacat, and Cherokee Wild - the second- through fifth-place finishers from the Winnipeg Futurity prep - all return to face Mikayla's Baby on Sunday. Also entered are Sid the Kid, a winner in maiden special weight company in his latest, and maiden Setmup Charlie.